Though the entire Opposition parties, including CPI (Ml) have joined hands, for the first time in Jharkhand, to defeat ruling BJP’s second nominee Mahesh Poddar in the June 11 Rajya Sabha election, the saffron brigade is looking calm and composed.
Their hope is regardless of the fact suggesting that one of its two candidates into the fray is not going to reach the Upper House, thanks to the unity.
The party has employed its poll managers to reverse the inevitable and the very idea is to break the cathedral.
“We are going to sit together on June 9 and chalk out our strategy. Our effort would be to make the Opposition members understand that the alliance formed recently is just opportunist and not going to stay any longer for the wellbeing of the State,” said one of BJP’s whips and legislator.
The party with 19 spare first preference votes for the June 11 polling has fielded Mahesh Poddar for the second seat for the Upper House hoping for a breakup in the Opposition camp.
Initially, it gained as well after having brought in at least two independents in the form of Geeta Koda and Bhanu Pratap Shahi into its fold.
However, ‘change of heart’ by the JVM—possessing two crucial votes—has virtually sealed the fate.
For many, joining hands of two arch rivals, Babulal Marandi and Shibu Soren, is an unprecedented development but it has managed to salvage JMM’s dream to send its nominee and a Soren scion Basant Soren to the Rajya Sabha.
In the process the step has also rekindled a hope to formulate a strong united force against the mighty looking BJP ahead of the 2019-20 battle.
JVM insiders confided that the clinching deal between Babulal Marandi and Hemant Soren deliberately and quite intelligently set aside the leadership issue, perceived as the major bone of contention between the two important Opposition parties.
“Our immediate goal was to stop the BJP from winning both the seats. Had we brought the matter as a precondition then the situation would have worsened for us leaving the BJP with advantage. But what would be the future course of action is to be decided by them based on situation prevailing in the State and country,” said a senior JVM office bearer.
Nevertheless, the BJP harps on cross voting by the Opposition MlAs.
“Everyone knows that they have come together just to stop the BJP. The alliance is based on selfishness and there is no base to it. Had it been a serious thought, they would have fought recently concluded Assembly bypolls together against the BJP. Such kind of opportunist posturing is not going to harm us since people of the State understand it very well,” said State BJP former president and MP Ravindra Rai.
Apprehensions over the longevity of the alliance looked genuine when the JVM was asked to explain it. “We had put no condition for supporting their candidate when the meeting took place. As far as our stand is concerned there is not going to be any second thought on the leadership issue. If the JMM wants to remain under Opposition’s umbrella against the surging BJP, it has to accept and support Babulal Marandi as leader,” said KK Poddar, party treasurer.
A similar reaction was from the Congress that much delayed its support to the JMM for the poll. “He came several times to us and when finally BK Hariprasad arrived Ranchi, Hemant was told in clear terms that he should show a larger heart if he wants to be a leader in Jharkhand. When it comes to any election and bye-election, the JMM fields candidates against us! It was tough but we decided to support Basant Soren to stop the BJP taking advantage,” said a senior Congress functionary present in the parley ahead of RS nomination.